Amritsar. Amritsar: Police today claimed to have arrested two associates of Pakistan-based terrorist and drug smuggler Harvinder Singh alias Rinda in separate incidents here. Police also recovered a Beretta pistol, 13 live .30 bore cartridges and an SUV from their possession.

The arrested persons include Satbir Singh of Talwandi Rai Dadu Village, Ajnala and Karandeep Singh of Jalal Usma village near Chowk Mehta here. While Satbir was involved in smuggling of weapons from across the border, Karandeep was also running an extortion racket at the behest of Rinda.

Police Commissioner (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that the CIA Staff had received information about the presence of Satbir Singh in the city area. Following this, a search operation was launched and Satbir was arrested while travelling in a Fortuner (SUV). Police investigation revealed that Satbir had recovered four pistols from near the international border during the last 10 days. Two criminal cases including kidnapping and attempt to murder are registered against him. A new case under Arms Act has been registered against Satbir at Sultanwind police station. Similarly, Karandeep was involved in extorting money from liquor traders of the district at the behest of Rinda. He was active in Batala and Amritsar rural areas. He had set many liquor vends on fire and also fired outside liquor shops, the CP said. Batala and Amritsar (rural) police were looking for him in many criminal cases. Both were produced before duty magistrate and taken on police remand for further investigation, the CP said.